Subject: hill billy<br /> <br />> > <br />> > > LETTER FROM A WEST VIRGINIA FARM KID, NOW AT PARIS ISLAND MARINE CORPS <br />> > > RECRUIT DEPOT <br />> > > <br />> > > Dear Ma and Pa: <br />> > > <br />> > > I am well. Hope you are too. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer the <br />> > Marine <br />> > > Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up <br />> > quick <br />> > > before maybe all of the places are filled. I was restless at first <br />>because <br />> > > you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but am getting so I like to <br />> > sleep <br />> > > late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot <br />> > and <br />> > > shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to <br />> > > split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men got to shave but it is not <br />>so <br />> > > bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit <br />> > juice, <br />> > > cereal, eggs, bacon, etc. but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, <br />>steak, <br />> > > fried eggplant, pie and other regular food. But tell Walt and Elmer you <br />> > can <br />> > > always sit between two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus <br />> > yours <br />> > > holds you till noon, when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city <br />> > boys <br />> > > can't walk much. We go on "route" marches, which the Platoon Sergeant <br />>says <br />> > > are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it is not my place to tell <br />> > him <br />> > > different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. <br />>Then <br />> > > the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks. The country <br />>is <br />> > > nice, but awful flat. The Sergeant is like a schoolteacher. He nags <br />>some. <br />> > > The Capt. is like the school board. Majors and Colonels just ride around <br />> > and <br />> > > frown. They don't bother you none. This next will kill Walt and Elmer <br />>with <br />> > > laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The <br />> > > bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move. And it ain't <br />> > > shooting at you, like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie <br />> > > there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own <br />>cartridges. <br />> > > They come in boxes. Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat <br />> > > training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real <br />> > careful <br />> > > though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull <br />>at <br />> > > home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan <br />>from <br />> > > over in Silver Lake. He joined up the same time as me. But I'm only 5'6" <br />> > and <br />> > > 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and weighs near 300 pounds dry. Be sure to tell <br />> > > Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this <br />>setup <br />> > > and come stampeding in. <br />> > > <br />> > > Your loving daughter, <br />> > > Betty
